Skimmer.



I J. S. GOLDEN.

SKIMMER.

' APPLIOATIONTiLED DEO.2,1907

Patented 891111.29, 1908.

WITNESSES .IAOOB- S. GOLDEN, OF SYLVESTER, GEORGIA.

SKIMMER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 29, 1908.

Application filed December 2, 1907. Serial No. 404,650.

To all-whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAooB S. GOLDEN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Sylvester, in the county of Worth andState of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Skimmers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in skimmers, and refers more particularly to a device for skimming the gum of a turpentine still, the object of the invention being the provision of a light, strong, simple and practical device which may be used with efficiency for removing the dirt and trash from the surface of the liquid.

Another object of my invention is the provision of a skimming device having an adjustable handle by means of which the angle of the skimming surface or scoop may be readily changed at will to suit difierent conditions.

With the above and other objects in view, my invention consists of a skimmer having both coarse and fine or close grades of openings or mesh to adapt it for removing different grades of material, and an adjustable handle to the skimmer.

My invention further consists of a device of the character set forth embodying certain nation and arrangement of parts substantially as disclosed herein and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1, is a perspective view of my improved skimmer, Fig. 2, is a detail enlarged view of the adjustable handle therefor. Fig. 3, is a detail sectional view of the lower end of the skimmer to illustrate the finer grating or sieve portion in modified form, the finer grating serving in place of the perforated plate shown in Fig. 1.

In the drawings: the numeral 1, designates the frame of the scoop or skimmer which is preferably rectangular in shape and the forward under edge of the frame is preferably rounded as at 2. Wire network 3, of a comparatively coarse mesh is secured in the framework, the netting being preferably ends of t e wires directly in the inner edge of the framework as shown at 4. The sides of the frame are bent as at 5, intermediate their length, so as to provide the lower normally horizontal skimming surface and the upper or rearward skimming surface set at an angle with respect to the lower surface.

other novel features of construction, combiheld in lace by embedding or entering the A transverse plate 6, is secured across the lower outer end of the frame, the plate having a series of perforations 7, therein. This plate provides a grating of finer mesh for removingthe finer particles of dirt and waste or scum, and if desired a close mesh screen portion could be secured in the lower end of the frame instead of the perforated plate as clearly shown in Fig. 3. The cross wires may be dispensed with beneath the finer grating in the lower end of the frame as they are not necessary.

Secured to the upper end of the frame is the handle shank 8, forked as at 9, to receive the flattened head 10, of the handle socket 11. The handle roper 12, is received in this socket and may e as long as necessary. A pivot or fulcrum o ening 13, is formed in the head, and the head is further provided with aseries of radially disposed openings 14. A pivot pin or bolt 15, is assed through the o ening 16, in the for ed handle shank, t ence through the fulcrum opening in the head of the handle socket, thereby pivotally connecting the handle to the frame, and the inclination of the handle is adjusted by insertin the pin or bolt 17, through the proper one o the radial series of openings in the head. The outer edge of the head is rounded as at 18, to permit ready adjustment of the handle.

My improved skimmer is particularly designed for removing the skum from off the gum of a tur entine still. After the still has been charge there is bound to be a certain amount of debris floating upon the surface of the um and with the aid of my device this can e quickly removed, the larger trash being caught in the coarse mesh, while the dirt and finer particles are caught in the close mesh grating in the end of the skimmer. It would be impracticable to use the fine mesh grating only, because rosin cools quickly when exposed to the air and the meshes of the fine grating would soon become filled with hard rosin, and thus render the device useless for skimming purposes. The coarse gratin however, does not become clogged up with t e rosin and the most of the trash is removed from the still by means of the coarse mesh portion of the skimmer, the bend in the skimmer serving to facilitate the use of the coarse mesh portion thereof. The coarse mesh portion thus serves for most purposes and the finer mesh portion on the end of the skimmer is only used for removing the finer spirits of turpentine.

floating impurities and the trash in the bottom of the still. Thus by the use of the device, the still can be quickly skimmed freeing the gum of most of the impurities, thereby producing a better grade of rosin and saving The skimmer may be quickly adjusted for use with stills of different size and depth by changing the inclination of the handle in the manner already specified.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the drawings, the manifest advantages of my improved skimmer will be readily apparent and it will be evident that I have produced a device of this character which fully accomplishes all the results set forth as the objects of the invention and which is practical and desirable.

I claim:

1. A skimmer having sieve openings therein of different mesh and having plane skimming surfaces disposed angularly with respect to each other.

2. A skimmer having sieve openings therein and provided with an adjustable handle, the handle being so connected to the skimmer as to permit of its being adjusted to change the angle of the handle with respect to the skimmer.

5. The combination with a skimmer l'or turpentine stills having sieve openings therein of different grades, of a handle to the skimmer adapted to be adjusted to dill'erent inclinations with respect to the skimming surface of the skimmer, the body of the skimmer being divided into two angular-h disposed skimming surfaces.

6. A skimmer for turpentine stills eemprising a frame, a coarse mesh grating in the frame, a finer mesh grating in the end portion of the frame, the frame being of sueh shape to provide two angularly disposed skimming surfaces.

In testimony whereof I allix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

JACOB S. GOLDEN. Witnesses:

FRANK PARK, TI-IYAL HoLToN. 

